New Year's Celebration
by Starrmyst
Summary: On Christmas Eve a snow storm and a cancelled flight cause Derek to finally tell Penelope how he feels. After heading to Chicago to celebrate the Christmas holidays with his family, Momma Morgan arranges for the new couple to celebrate New Year's Eve at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. A Sequel to Snow.(different rating though) Happy 2013!


**2012 Christmas Gift Fic Exchange Assignment**

Epilogue

The music floated up to their penthouse window from below the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. Cindy from the check in desk had told them when they checked in yesterday about the New Year's celebration close by at the Navy Pier. Handing the key to Morgan she winked at both of them and added, "Just in case you'd rather stay in tomorrow night and watch the fireworks from the warm of their room."

When they stepped into the beautiful white oasis of the room Cindy had arrangement for them, Penelope spun around in glee. "This is beautiful." She cried. And when she saw the view from the window she smiled at Derek. "Peaches come here."

Dropping the bags on the floor beside the bed, Derek sauntered over to the window and put his arms around his girl. "It's beautiful sweet cheeks. Cindy knew we weren't going to leave this room this weekend. We can see everything from here."

"Oh?" Penelope questioned snaking her arms around Derek's neck." What did you have in mind?"

Placing his lips on hers, he answered between kisses, "You, me, that bed and a bowl full of strawberries and crème."

Penelope took her hands off Derek's shoulders and walked over to the phone, "Ooo, I'd love some dessert! I'll call room service."

Surprized at her reaction, he turned to her. "Really mama? That's what you want to do right now?"

Looking up from the phone Penelope tried to keep him from seeing the truth but this was her stud muffin. He could always see through her bullshit. "What is it Baby Girl?"

"Derek, I'm scared." She whispered.

His heart sank as he could see the fear in her eyes. "Oh Babe". Reaching for her hand, he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "Of what? Me?"

Shaking her blond curls, she laid her head down on his shoulder as he tightened his arms around her. "Of us…of what comes next."

Lifting her away from him, he turned her so she could look in her eyes. "Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me that after all these years of your flirting and promising to show me a good time, you're scared to actually do it?" he teased.

"Please don't tease me. I can't take it right now "she covered her face with her hands.

Derek pulled her back down into his arms and rubbed small circles on her back to calm her down. "I'm sorry Mama. I just never thought this was going to be an issue. After all this time, I thought that you wanted to take the next step with me. If you aren't ready, we can just stay here and cuddle all night. I'll wait as long as it takes for you to be comfortable."

Penelope didn't respond right away and savored the quiet moment in his arms. Then she told him something he never expected to hear, "What happens if I'm never comfortable with this?"

Derek was stunned but he kept his emotions in check so she won't notice his heart beating fast. "With me loving you or…. is it just anybody loving you?"

Jumping up from his lap, Penelope sat on the chair opposite him. He waited for her to speak. And then she started, "Derek,why? Why do you love me? You could have whoever you want. There are so many sexier, funnier, beautiful women that would be happy to have you love them. How could you want a full figured woman who has lots of scars both inside and outside? Tell me why me?"

Derek stared at Penelope as she fired off her questions to him and he watched as that tiny sparkle in her eyes grew dimmer and dimmer. He knew that she believed that she didn't deserve to have anyone love her. He decided that he wasn't going to speak until she was done and with Penelope it would take a while for she would be. So Derek continued to listen as he went over to the counter and prepared a cup of coffee for both of them. Penelope just continued her rant.

He placed the cup of coffee in front of her and sat back down on the opposite couch sipping his own cup listening to the words coming out of her mouth.

"Why would anyone love me? Look at me. I don't even love me enough to take care of myself. Would it really kill me to get up off my fat ass and go to a gym? No… but somehow I always sabotage myself by coming up with a reason not to go. You know why? I'll tell you why… because I'm damaged goods. No one should love me!" Penelope shouted in the air. Realizing what she just said, she looked into Derek's eyes where the hurt that registered went straight to the bottom of her stomach.

"Oh Derek, I didn't mean…"

Holding up his hand to stop the apology she was already trying to give him, Derek just asked, "Is there anything else?"

"I love you Derek but I don't believe you could ever really love a woman like me." And then she was silent waiting for him to respond. As much as she didn't want him to answer, she wanted him to settle this with her.

"So I've given you a chance to talk. Now it's my turn and until I'm done, you" he said pointing his finger at her, " will not interrupt. Now I have a few things to say

We all have scars, me included. And it's the people around me that helped me realize that the things that happened to me…to you… doesn't make the person. You loved me no matter what Buford did to me. Why don't you think anyone would feel the same about you?

When I put my arms around you and hold you, mama, I'm holding a real woman. You are all I dream about and more. It is your arms I want holding me. It is your lips I want kissing me and it is you that I want against me. All of you no matter what.

I am willing to do anything for you. If you want me to quit the BAU, I will. If you want to move to Timbuktwo, I'll do that to. And if you need more time to feel comfortable before we move to the next level then we'll wait, however long you need.

And sexy….damn woman…do you know what you do to me? When you sashay around the offi**c**e in your tight little skirts throwing those not so innocent comments at me I lose control. I am constantly thinking about anything else including Strauss just to keep my solider down. And it's you, woman, that I want to be with. There is no one else; not now, not ever! I love you mama. More than anything in the world. If I can't have you, I don't want anyone else.

I love you now and I'll love you later. That will never change. When two hearts are meant to be together, then they are meant to be together. You and I, Baby Girl belong together. Now and forever! "

"I'm finished." Derek told her calmly picking up his coffee and taking a sip. He watched her as she raised her eyebrows to look at him.

"Well I thought _**I **_had something to say."

Smiling over his cup, Derek took another sip of the warm liquid. He hoped that it would settle his nerves as he waited for all that to sink in.

Standing up, Penelope went over to the bags near the bed and pulled out a smallish box from her bag. Walking over to the table, she sat directly in front of Derek and took his hands in hers." You really love me? All of me?"

Nodding, he reached out and cupped her cheek with his left hand. "With all my heart."

Placing her hand over his, she leaned into it. "I'm still scared but I trust you with my life. If you tell me that you feel as strongly for me as I do for you then I'm willing to give this a shot….under one condition."

"What's that?"

"If this goes south, for whatever reason, we promise that we'll remain friends. I could accept never taking this to the next level but I could never bare losing you from my life for good."

"It won't happen." Derek insisted

"Promise me.", she said holding out her hand for a handshake

"Okay, I promise." He told her taking her hand in his and bringing it up to his lips. "Now, are you gonna tell me what's in the bag, princess?"

Penelope smiled and handed it to him to open. Derek pulled out the white box and opened the tissue. Inside was a long red ribbon. Wrinkling his brow, Derek looked at her inquisitively.

Taking it out of his hand, Penelope asked him to hold one end, while she walked around behind him. "Don't peek until I tell you to." She warned him.

"Mama, what's going on?" Derek called out behind his closed eyelids. He could hear her shuffling behind him but couldn't figure out what she was up to.

"Ok, hot stuff, open your eyes." She whispered barely loud enough for him to hear.

Derek turned around and sucked in his breath as he took in the image behind him. Penelope lay on the black comforter with only the ribbon wrapped strategically around her to cover her most private parts.

"Ba..Baby Girl?"

"Come here, Stud Muffin."

Derek didn't hesitate to drop the box and follow the ribbon over to the bed. Practically running he was breathing quit heavily as his hand hovered over the bow she had tied over her heart. "Are you sure, Princess? Cause there will be no going back after this. Once I make you mine, I am never letting you go."

Penelope smiled and reached up to grab Derek's hand. Placing it on the end of the bow she tied, she arched her back slightly. This caused her ample breasts to push against the ribbon wrapped around her. It was all the answer Derek needed as he tugged the end of the ribbon, unravelling his present. Climbing on top of the bed, Derek pulled Penelope against him covering her lips with his and finally made her his.

OXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOOXOXOXOOXOX

With a robe wrapped around her, Penelope stood in front of the window, watching the crowd standing on the pier below.

"Come back to bed Mama, its COLD!" Derek drawled from underneath the sheets.

Penelope smiled at her lover and beckoned him to her side instead. "Come here my Chocolate God. You have to see this."

Derek slipped into a matching robe and strode over to the window. Standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her before placing a kiss on the top of her head. Penelope smiled and leaned back into him, covering his hands with her own. "Look Boo, there's a lot of people down there singing."

As they both looked down and watched as the crowd began to prepare for the countdown that was just minutes away. They could hear the crowd singing "Celebration" from Kool and the Gang.

"Looks like they are having fun. We could quickly get dress and go join them if you want, Baby Girl." Derek suggested as he bared her shoulders to rain kisses on them.

Shaking her head, Penelope turned around in his arms so that she was now facing him. "I'd much rather go back to our warm cocoon bed to ring in the New Year."

Moving his lips to hers, Derek reached down and picked Penelope up in his arms. Carrying her over to the bed, he gently placed her down in the middle and got in beside her. Derek reached over for the bottle of champagne they had chilling on the bedside table and poured each of them a glass. Penelope meanwhile turned on the television to catch the celebration in New York. Handing her a glass, they sat up with their arms wrapped around each other, and joined in to count down the last 10 seconds before the silver ball dropped in Time's.

Turning down the volume, Penelope could hear the crowd on the pier singing. Should auld acquaintance be forgot,  
And never brought to mind?  
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,  
And auld Lang syne!  
For auld Lang syne, my dear,  
For auld Lang syne.

Holding up his glass to her, Derek made a toast, "Who would have thought that it would take a number of years, a couple of scandals and some snow to bring us together? The best thing that ever happened to me was the day that I didn't know your name. You became Baby Girl that day and today you became my Baby Girl. If I died today, I would die a happy man."

"Sweet Cheeks, can we talk about something else?"

Chuckling, Derek nodded. "To the beginning of the rest of our lives together in love."

Clinking her glass to his Penelope said, "Now that is an excellent wish for the new year. Happy New Year, Mon Amour!"

"Happy 2013, love." Derek responded, reaching over to place a sweet kiss on his lover's lips. Taking a quick sip of the champagne, Derek waited until she did the same before he took the glass from her and placed the two on the side table. "How about we start the rest of our lives right now?"

Penelope pushed Derek on his back and straddled his hips. Biting her lower lip, she heard him groan and Penelope knew that she was driving him to the edge. "That's just what my intentions are, my love."

Reaching up to tug at the belt on her robe, Derek pulled her into his arms and buried his mouth in the hallow at the base of her lovely neck. Penelope groaned at the sensation of his lips on her skin as she tilted her head back in pleasure. Positioning her to join their two bodies together in love, Derek felt proud that he could make her melt. He promised himself that he would spend the rest of his life making sure that Penelope realized that she was the woman of his dreams and of his heart.

And, if the rest of the year was going to be anything like the first few minutes then 2013 was going to be the best year yet!

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!


End file.
